Territory



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

Gr. E. NICHOLS. SNOW EXCAVATOR'AND AUT0MAT10'DUMPBR- N0. 367,837,

. Patented Aug. .9

N. PETERS, Phuwmhngnphqr, washington D. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. E. NICHOLS.

SNOW EXOAVATOR AND vAUIOIVIATUJV BUMPER. No. 367,837. l Patented Aug. 9, 1887.

UNITED STATES APATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE EWING NICHOLS, OF SIOUX FALLS, DAKOTA TERRITORY, AS- SIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EMMET J. BROVN, OF SAME PLACE.

SNOW-EXCAVATOR AND AUTOMATIC DUMPER.

SPECIFICATIONTorming part of 'Letters Patent No. 367,837, dated August 9, 1887.

ApplicationJled April. 1S, 1887. Serial No. 235,240. (No model.) d A larly to the class of excavatorsin which two' snow-receptacles are placed side by sidelengthwise of the trackway, and are so pivoted upon their supporting-frames as to discharge their contents laterally outside the track.

The invention consists, in general, of two cars connected together for operation,the front car being adapted to underrun andreceive the mass of snow, and the rear car being provided with mechanism for clutching, and with a novel system of chains, wheels, and journals for re- V` tainin'g the snow and for applying the power by which it is dumped when the excavator has been withdrawn to apoint suitable for its discharge; and it consists, in particular, of the various novel elements and combinations of elements,which will first be described in detail, and then distinctly claimed.

In the drawings, Figurel represents a side elevation of the snow excavating and dumping apparatus. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the apparatus, a portion of the dumpers and,

of the subjacent bed-framebeingbroken away to show7 the bearings and connections of the chains by which the dumpers are tilted. Fig.

3 is a top plan view, drawn to an enlarged scale,of portions` of both of the cars, portions being broken out of the excavator-ear, as in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a rear view of the apparatus. Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line xx of Fig. 2, the dumpers being in position for discharging. Fig. 6 is a detail showing in side elevation the front portion of the rear car.

As seen in the drawings, A is or may be an ordinary dat car, and B is the snow receiving and discharging car. The floor of this car or snow-remover is composed of two longitudinal sections,b b', which are placed side by side upon the bed-framef of the car, and which incline downwardly, as shown, from the rear to the front, the rear portion being preferably ofthe height of an ordinary dat car,while the opposite extremity is supported upon small'wheels fw, so that the door is at this point but a short distance, preferably but a single inch, above the top of the track-rails. These door-sections b b', technically termed the dumpers,7 are provided at their coincident edges with vertical partitions b2 and b, respectively,wl1ich are secured in position byany suitable means.

To the front end of the frame of the car B is attached a shoe or shovel, B', preferably composed ofiron, provided with a facing of steel, and from the ends of'which rise-vertical cutters b4 and b5, placed edgewise to the front, as seen. The shoe B is provided upon the bottom, in rear of the steel facing, with a guard,b6,eomposed ofa bar of halt-round iron, to prevent contact ofthe shoe with the trackrails.

The post or standard A is rotatably supported upon the ilat carA, itslowereXtremity being loosely stepped in the bed-frame of the car, while at a point somewhat below its midheight it is recessed to receive the loosely-cncircling holding-collar a, which is connected to the iloor of the car by rods a.

The arm A2, provided at its outer extremity with the rake or slicer a2, is pivotally connected to the standard at a suitable dist-ance below the annular collar a.

A small cog-wheel, e, upon one of the axles of the rear truck of the car A,engages alarger cog-wheel, O, mounted upon a shaft, C", the journals of which have bearing in supports e which are xed upon the car. A clutch, c3, upon the shaft C at the right ofthe cog-wheel O,is adjustable by a lever, 0*, a similar clutch,

c5, at the left, being operated by a lever, c6.

The lifting-chain Osecured to and running upon the shaft O and over a pulley, a3, near the top of the standard A', is connected at its opposite end to the arm A2. K

The central outer portion of the discharging iloor sections or dumpers b b is provided with a connecting eross-chain,C3,running in sheaves or pulleys c7 and c", between vwhich chain O* is IOC attached to the cross-chain C, and extending rearwardly at a right angle therewith, is connected for actuation to the shaft C.

In operation the snow-receivers b and b' having been forced into the dri ft of snow, a large body of itis severed from the surrounding mass by the cutters b and L, and by the descent of the rake or slicer a-y upon the arm A2. The apparatus being then run to therearward,the clutch c is at the same time thrown into engagement', winding the lifting chain upon its shaft and elevating the arm A' and its rake above the plane of movement of the sections b and b. The clutch being then thrown into engagement, the chain C* is wound upon the shaft, drawing downwardly and in wardlythe outer portion of the sections I) and b and discharging the contents thereof.

A distance-chain, if', (one or more,) is attached below the coincident edges of the seetions band b', securing the sections together, and thereby limiting their outward movement in the act of dumping to a perpendicular plane. A ratchet and pawl (not shown) are provided in connection `with the clutch ci' to retain the sweep or arm A2 in its elevated position.

Upon the front portion of the ear A, or upon a fixed undivided rear portion of the front car, is a standard, D, provided with shaft d, which carries small gear-wheel d, operated by hand-wheel d, to actuate large gearwheel d', u'pon the shaft d of which runs a chain corresponding` to the chain C", above described, and, like it, connected to a chain which aetuates the pivoted dumping sections b and b. This hand-wheel mechanism is designed more particularly for use in discharging gravel or earth.

It will be understood that when the snowA earryingcar is to be loaded the clutch ci at the left is disengaged, permitting the arm A'l to descend, so that the rake or cutter a?, which, to insure the requisite strength, is composed of steel, will bury itself in the snow.

rIhe snow receptacles being pivotcd near their center transversely, but little power is required to tilt them and discharge their contents.

In Fig. I I have represented in dotted lines a short arm, which is provided with a pulley and with a strengtheningbrace, and which may be used when it is desired to exert the lifting-power more directly.

When it is desired to use the rear car as a wrecking-car, a much shorter arm than that shown in full lilies will be found most advantageous, and this will be pivoted to the standard A at apoint above, instead of below, the collar a..

Vhcn the excavator-car is unprovidcd with the hand-wheel mechanism, the dnmping-sec tions will ordinarily extend the entire length of the car.

The attaclnnent of the damper-actuating chains to the under surface and outer edge of the dnmpingsections, instead ofto the upper surface and inner edge thereof, as in a former construction, is regarded as advantageous, in that the chains are unexposed to injury, and in that through their operation the sections may be tilted until they are brought toa perpendicular, or nearly perpendicular, position, and will thus more readily and ccrtainl y discharge their contents.

Having described my invention, I claiml. The snow receiving and discharging ear B, consisting, essentially, of the bed-frame f, provided with bottom bearingsheaves, as described, and the pivoted longitudinal iloorsections, in combination with the rear car, A, having shaft C' and the interconnecting chains C" and C, substantially as shown and set forth.

2. The snow-receiving car or excavator B, embracing inclined frame, having sheaves, as set forth, and the coincident pivoted sections b and b, each having a guard or partition at its inner edge only, in combination with the rear car, A, having cog-wheels c and C,stand ard A', arm A2, and lifting-chain C, substantially as described. I

3. The combination, with the snow-receiving sections b and b', provided, respectively, with the' longitudinal guards b2 and It", ofthe wheels c and C, and the 'chains C and C, for the purposes described.

4. The combination oi.' car l), having sections and I/ and shoe B', with the car A, having the standard A', the arm A2, provided with the rake a?, the wheels c and C, and the chains C2, C, and C, snliistantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. ln a snow-excavating apparatus, the framof, having the pi voted dulnliing-sections I) and b, provided, respectively, with partitions biand b, and the sheaves cT and c", as described, in combination with a winding mechanism, anda chain or chains running in the sheaves beneath the bed-frame and connecting such winding mechanism with the outer edge and under surface of the dumping# sections, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

GEORGE EWING NICHOLS.

Witnesses:

' E. PAnLiMAN,

A. L. CAsunY.

IIO 

